ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Eye Issues => Topic started by: nancyann on April 22, 2009, 08:55:07 am
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Hi all: I was trying to wean off the Refresh PM lubricant & ended up at the opthomologist's office yesterday. My cornea is getting dry again.
He told me to tape my eye shut at night using 2 inch 3M tape & placing it horizontally.
So last night I put on the tape, my eyelid stayed closed. The amazing thing was when I laid down to sleep, it was the 1st
time in almost 3 years that I didn't have to fall asleep with 1 eye open ! ! It was great ! ! I did use the moisture chamber over the eye, but I think tonight I may try it with just the tape.
Always good thoughts, Nancy
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GREAT news that something worked for you Nanacy - BUT PLEASE be careful with the tape. You know I have a phobia about that since that is what caused my cornea to be SO scratched that they had to sew my eye shut!! It was the Dr. doing the taping - not just me!! My eye just wanted to POP open even behind the tape!
Good Luck!!
K
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K: That's what I thought would happen also b/c in the past the tape wouldn't keep my eyelid closed either; the doc & I had a 'discussion' about it, but the tape kept my eye closed ! I don't know if having the 1.6 Gm wieght in helped. Whatever, maybe the wider tape... but I was thrilled to be able to have both eyes closed for bed ! !
Always good thoughts, Nancy
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Nancy,
I just sent you a PM about your eyes and your patch that you use at night!
I asked if the eye chamber keeps your eye shut.
And Kay and Nancy,
I use AKWA TEARS in my eye every night and cut a very thin piece of paper tape and place it vertically over my eye. Then I use any sort of light eye pillow, for added enforcement,and for the nice scent too.
Seems to work so far. Maybe I'll try the horizontal tape method.
I have also been told that I better keep my eye lubed 24/7 or ELSE..........
Glad you had a good night's sleep Nancy.
I'm not sure if I'm going to try the chamber now, but may just buy one box and see how it works.
Maureen
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Maureen: I just PMd back. I was given the AKWA tears while in the hospital but they weren't thick enough.
I use Refresh PM lubricant in the morning before I drive to work & in the evening (during the day maybe once or twice).
I use Refresh Celluvisc at my desk & carry Refresh Liquigel with me when I go to the units in case my eye gets dry while away from my desk.
I tried the eye tape vertically, my eyelid popped open like K's. I didn't use paper tape last night - the doc told me to use 3M tape - it's somewhat transparent - he feels it tapes the best.
I am VERY glad about the sleep - being able to lay down & have both eyes closed (even if 1 was closed by tape) is a miracle !
Always good thoughts, Nancy
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Nancy ~
I was very pleased to learn that you've found a way to keep your eye shut and get a good nights sleep in the process. Congratulations on another not-so-small victory! :)
Jim
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Hey Nancy,
Glad to hear about your success! I didn't have any luck with the taping either - but I was doing it vertically, so maybe the trick is doing it the other way. Or using duct tape, which I considered a few times right after my initial surgery! :D Just kidding - don't try that anyone!
I hope it was a very restful night and the first of many to come!
Lori
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i also had to tape the eye due to dry eye, my eye would not close or blink after surgery. taping was hard to do and place tape to make sure it stayed closed. I did find a product that worked better for me. I found at walmart a bandaid like patch that you put over eye, they sell them where you will find the eyepatch. it goes fully over eye and adhesive is like a bandaid but was easy to take off in morning. they worked well for me, my eye is fully healed, and no air can get into eye with these.
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Thank you everyone for the words of support.
K, my eyelid did open a little last night & today my eye is drier, putting in alot of lubricant.
I don't know what I did differently from the night before, but I'm going to give it another try tonight.
kwalker: does the center of the bandage you bought from Walmart have adhesive on it, or was it just around the outside ?
Always good thoughts, Nancy
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hi all,
actually the bandage is like a bandaid, with adhesive on outside with a teflon( gauze type) pad inside. it worked great for me and my opthomologist said i was the fastest healing patient he's had with nerve damage. i think that using this type instead of just pad with tape and being very dilligent to use the drops and lubricating ointment really helped me heal fast. each appt. with him i had there were less and less dry spots in my eye. i'd reccommend these to anyone. :D
kelly
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Thanks Kelly,
I may look into that product myself.
And Nancy, hope you are having better "eye nights" and keeping your eye nice and lubed.
That is MY fear that to have too dry of a cornea, and the fear of the doc stitching my eye shut again. So I just lube it up 24/7.
Maureen
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Thanks for the replies guys ! This morning when I took off my night eyewear, I realized my eyelid is opening at the area where the overlap of tape is - I haven't been able to find 2 inch tape, so I overlap a 1 inch tape, & my eyelid pushed open. at the overlap
So - hope to find 2 inch tape soon - I'll see if that holds my eyelid closed.
Kelly, I'm afraid to use a bandage without adhesive in the middle. My eyelid would open right up ! -
how were you able to keep your eye from opening ?
Are you still having eye issues or has everything pretty much returned to normal ? (I hope).
Always good thoughts, Nancy
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The 2 inch transparent tape is working ! ! My eye stays closed at night !
Although removing the tape is another story !
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Nancy,
The transparent tape is very hard to get off I know. You might try the cloth tape that is easier to remove. 3M makes it in all sizes! Go to 3M's website and google cloth medical tape.
3Mâ„¢ Mediporeâ„¢ Surgical Tape is a soft, hypoallergenic, conformable tape with 'easy-tear' perforations.
Additional Information
With 'easy-tear' perforations approximately every 5cm, 3Mâ„¢ Medipore Surgical Tape can be torn quickly to size. No need for scissors! The tape is highly conformable to body contours. Its moderate stretch accommodates a degree of swelling or movement without skin trauma. Hypoallergenic 3Mâ„¢ Mediporeâ„¢ Surgical Tape has excellent adhesion but is gentle enough to use on fragile skin. Porous and
3Mâ„¢ Mediporeâ„¢ Soft Cloth Surgical Tape 2961 (2,5cm x 9,14m)
1 inch x 10 yard (2,5cm x 9,14m) Soft Cloth, hypoallergenic surgical tape
3Mâ„¢ Mediporeâ„¢ Soft Cloth Surgical Tape 2962 (5cm x 9,14m)
2 inch x 10 yard (5cm x 9,14m) Soft Cloth, hypoallergenic surgical tape
3Mâ„¢ Mediporeâ„¢ Soft Cloth Surgical Tape 2963
Soft Cloth hypoallergenic surgical tape, 3 inch x 10 yard (7,5cm x 9,14m)
3Mâ„¢ Mediporeâ„¢ Soft Cloth Surgical Tape 2964 (10cm x 9,14m)
4 inch x 10 yard (10cm x 9,14m) Soft Cloth, hypoallergenic surgical tape
3Mâ„¢ Mediporeâ„¢ Soft Cloth Surgical Tape 2966 (15cm x 9,14m)
6 inch x 10 yard (15cm x 9,14m) Soft Cloth, hypoallergenic surgical tape Hugs.....Angie
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Thanks Angie, I'm going to ask my doc about the cloth tape when I see him next week.
Always good thoughts, Nancy
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Yes, Thanks ANGIE and glad you kept your eye closed NANCY ;)
Good idea about the medipore tape.I may try some, and may even be able to borrow some from work!
<Maureen
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Don't know if this will help anyone, but my dr gave me a procedure to use when taping - he said that anyone who tapes their eye ought to do it this way: pull the outside corner of the eye to the outside until the eye is pulled closed. THEN place the tape diagonally (of all things!) across both eyelids from the inside on the top lid towards the outside on the bottom. I no longer have eye issues, but this worked very well for me.
Hope that made sense, and maybe can be helpful...
Best wishes,
Tam
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Tamara~
Did he specify what kind or size of tape??
K
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No particular size, but it was cloth medical tape. The first night in the hospital the staff used some nasty opaque plastic tape and just taped it vertically. I think I pulled out all my eyelashes the next morning (just to complete the look I had going). That didn't work at all and the dr was quite ticked that no one had showed me how to do it "properly".
I wish all you "tapers" much success - may you all not need it some day!
Tam
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Don't know if this will help anyone, but my dr gave me a procedure to use when taping - he said that anyone who tapes their eye ought to do it this way: pull the outside corner of the eye to the outside until the eye is pulled closed. THEN place the tape diagonally (of all things!) across both eyelids from the inside on the top lid towards the outside on the bottom. I no longer have eye issues, but this worked very well for me.
No one has EVER told me about the correct way to tape the eye shut. Thanks Tam!!!! :) It's only been almost 3 years since my surgery.
I will try that.
Maureen
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Hi Nancy,
I have wanted to post here because I have been taping my eye for almost a year. I am in a bit of a rush right now but will get all of my stuff and post tomorrow.
Sweet Dreams
Michelle ;)